1. NAR SN65SW1

An oval banked & ditched enclosure, 250m north-east to south-west by 150m, showing an east facing entrance, set upon a ridge-top summit; this enclosure is divided by a further, west-facing bank & ditch, segregating an area about 120m across.

J.Wiles 14.12.04

2. Castell Goetre lies one kilometre further along the ridge to the north-east of Castell Allt Goch. Castell Goetre is one of the county's larger forts, with at least two phases of construction and enclosing nearly 3 hectares. The great sweeping oval hillfort measures 240m south-west/north-east by 150m north-west/south-east. It is crossed by a curving inner rampart around 6m wide. Once suggested as a late feature, cutting the fort in half and reducing the defended area, it is more likely that this represents an early first phase fort. The cross-bank still has a central gateway. At some point this early oval fort was incorporated into a new bivallate hillfort more than twice the size, with strong gateways sited at the south-west and east.

The inner bank still stands 8-10m wide and up to 2.5m high in places, although it has been cultivated on the west side and almost obliterated along the north. Where the ramparts enter the edge of a forest plantation at the east they stand higher and more impressive, but are overgrown.

Despite being incorporated in modern field banks, Castell Goetre is a rewarding site to visit as there is plenty of evidence for the original use of quartz- and boulder- walling around the outer defensive circuit. Large quartz blocks lie loose wherever modern breaks exist, or where original gateways have been enlarged by later activity. One can only imagine the original scene of an entirely stone-walled fort, perhaps with broad, squat, quartz-studded walls topped with a strong palisade. The fragmentation of this important fort into several fields and hedge banks today should not detract from its former glory.

Reference:

Driver, T. 2016. The Hillforts of Cardigan Bay. Logaston Press